Apparatus for curing tobacco



(No Model.)

A. GORDON.

Apparatus for Curing Tobacco.

No. 234,467. Patented Nov. 16, 1880'."

J1 ZZWZ- v E WI r .[717 127 5201 MPETERS, PHOYG-LITHOdRA PHER,WASHINGTON. D C.

NITED STATES ATENT truce.

ALEXANDER GORDON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

APPARATUS FOR CURING TOBACCO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,467, dated November16, 1880.

Application filed Au gust 30, 1880.

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER GORDON, ofDetroit, Wayne county, Michigan, have invented an Improvement onTobacco-Sweaters, of which the following is a specification.

The nature of this invention relates to new and useful improvements inapparatus for curing tobacco; and the invention consists in thepeculiarconstruction, arrangement, and operation of the several parts, as morefully hereinafter described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view with the doors opened. Fig. 2 is avertical cross-section.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Arepresents abox or room lined with sheet metal, (galvanized iron beingpreferred,) and provided with doors B, which should be iitted as nearsteam-tight as possible. D is another box made ot'perforated boards andexternally covered with sheet metal. This box is also provided withdoors E, also made of perforated boards and covered with sheet metal,and is placed within the outer box, A, so as to leave a steamspace, Ibetween the two. The door 0 in the box A, lined with sheet metal, coversa case which leads through the wall of the box D, and a steam-pipe, H,leading from any source of supply will diseh arge steam into the space Fbetween the boxes A and D, the latter of which may, if desired, beplaced upon a truck.

I represents another box, smallerthan the box' D, and is designed tocontain the tobacco to be sweated. This box is provided with a door, J,through which the interior thereof may be reached, and the box is placedupon a truck, K, to facilitate its removal from the box D. A steam-pipe,L, with a suitable valve, M, admits steam from any suitable source ofsupply to the space between the boxes I D.

It will be perceived that by constructing the box D of perforated boardsexternally covered with sheet metal the latter will be quickly heated bythe inflowing steam and the heat imparted to the sheet metal will beradiated through the perforations in the boards into the space betweenthe boxes D and I, thereby heating the latter. The external sheetmetalcovering of the perforated box is also stiifened and strengthened by theboards, the perforations in which allow the heat to pass (N0 model.)

freely through them, and at the same time the construction is cheaper,and capable of operating with less heat than a metallic box madesufficiently thick to be operative.

It will also be observed that by constructing the outer box, A, of woodlined with sheet metal the latter will be quickly heated by theintlowing steam through the pipe H, and that the wood of the box A beinga poor conductor of heat, the heat from the lining will be radiatedinwardly upon the exterior lining of the box D, thereby morequickl yheating the latter.

In practice the tobacco to be sweated is placed in the box I, which isrun into the box I). The doors ofthe boxes AD are then closed and steamadmitted through the pipe H into the space F, and the heat therefromradiates through the walls of the box D, the boards of which it isconstructed being perforated to facilitate such radiation. During thetreatment the door 0 may be opened and a thermometer inserted todetermine the heat in theinterior, or the hand to determine themoisture. Should the air be too dry, the valve M may be opened and agreater or lesser quantity of steam may be admitted into the box I), andthe moisture therefrom will be communicated through the walls of the boxI to the tobacco inelosed therein.

By this construction I am enabled to more throroughly and evenly curetobacco than can be done by the devices for the purpose already in use,and to toughen the leaf and make it stronger.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a tobacco-curing apparatus, theintermediate box, D, made of perforated boards and externally covered onall its sides with sheet metal, substantially as described, and for thepurpose set forth.

2. A tobacco-curing apparatus provided with the outer box, A, lined withsheet metal, and the intermediate box, D, made of perforated boards andexternally covered on all its sides with sheet metal,with a spacebetween the boxes, substantially as described, and for the purpose setforth.

ALEXANDER GORDON.

Witnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, F. J. Scorr.

